Today I'm going to share an touching story that reached me just about a month ago. So often I get emails from people that are wearing my jewelry and every once in awhile I get one so touching I have to share. Here is the note I received.
"I just wanted to tell Amy that 4 years ago a woman donated a kidney to our daughter, a stranger who came to California from Ohio to help Jenna. When we met her she brought Jenna a gift - a necklace that said "Live Your Life" and Jenna wears it always. I saw on the website that Amy was a transplant coordinator at one time and I was so surprised, I just had to send this note" -Karol
I read and re-read the note. A stranger donated a kidney.
Patrice, the donor and Jenna (wearing her Live your Life necklace).
Patrice and Karol, Jenna's mother "met" on-line by happenstance, fate or divine intervention, how ever you like to see it. It changed their lives in such an amazing and wonderful way.
Rather than tell the entire AMAZING story again. Please check out the article Karol wrote (HERE)
Some of you may know from my About Amy on my website, I used to work as a transplant coordinator. I worked at Stanford Hospital Blood Center in the Histocompatibility laboratory. I helped the lab technicians with transplant paperwork and blood specimens for cross referencing and testing before transplants.
It was an amazing and challenging job for a young woman and it forever changed me and how I look at organ donation. Both living and deceased organ donors bless the recipients with the most amazing gift. The gift of life. Over the years working there I met so many families waiting, the long and difficult wait for the right organ.
So today I'm asking something from you.
1) If it is in your heart to become an organ donor in the case of an accident. Make your wishes known to your loved ones, so the difficult decision to donate your organs is a little easier for them. Visit OrganDonor.gov for more information.
2) Consider joining the National Marrow Donor Program to be tested for bone marrow donation. A procedure that can save a cancer patients life. My parent's next door neighbor and dear friend is 10 years post transplant thanks to an unrelated marrow donor. Visit Marrow.org to find out more information.
3) If you are able to donate blood. Find your local blood bank and donate blood. It really does save lives.
4) Visit Living Donors Online to find out about a living organ donation.
And here is the fun part for you.....
We are offering the Live Your Life necklace as a free gift with purchase available to the first 20 customers with a minimum purchase of $50. Just put the promo code: GIFTOFLIFE into the shopping cart and we will add in the necklace for you.
Thanks for sharing our story and spreading the word about organ and blood donation Amy. Patrice picked the perfect gift for Jenna, and I am so happy to have met you as a result.
Best wishes in all you do,
Karol
Posted by: Karol | April 13, 2011 at 07:25 PM